Local Brief: Michigan

April 17, 2007|Staff Report

NILESPrice is rather steep for paving short road It appears paving just a short stretch of Ullery Road would require a small group of Niles Township property owners to dig deep into their pocketbooks. At a Township Board meeting Monday night, Supervisor Bill Myers reported it would cost roughly $40,000 to prepare and pave the Ullery Road segment, between Pritchard Street and the U.S. 31 Business Route. That's bad news for the 14 households on nearby Scenic View Drive, who would have to share in the cost if the road is paved. Scenic View resident Lee Holcomb said after the meeting he's hoping a lower cost solution can be worked out with Brian Berndt, engineer-manager for the Berrien County Road Commission. Myers promised Holcomb he'd arrange a session with Berndt. Holcomb approached the board last month, asking for help to smooth out the gravel-surface road that's one of the roughest in the township. The road segment provides the only access for residents in the Scenic View Subdivision but it has remained unpaved, apparently because the cost is prohibitive for the few property owners who live on Ullery. The road segment measures less than 200 yards. Also Monday, the board approved a new l0-year cable television franchise agreement with Comcast at the same 3 percent of gross revenues rate included in a 1992 agreement. Myers said the township realizes about $35,000 a year from the nonexclusive agreement. The Berrien County Sheriff's Department also issued life-saving certificates for residents, police and emergency workers who revived a Niles woman on March 9. Teresa Latislaw, discovered slumped over the wheel of her car on South 11th Street, was on hand to personally thank those who came to her assistance.